


Living Without Counsel

by Titti



Series: Living Without Counsel [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Challenge Response, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-02-06
Updated: 2003-02-06
Packaged: 2019-01-15 13:06:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12321657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: Draco finds acceptance from an unexpected person.





	Living Without Counsel

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Valentine's Day Challenge at Veela Inc. Quote: "Love presses my head with carefully placed feet, wretch that he is, until he has taught me to detest chaste girls, and to live with no counsel." Propertius Sextus

April 1998

It was April and in a few months, Draco would leave Hogwarts for the last time. Much had happened in the past seven years, but as much things changed, they stayed the same.

Potter had defeated Voldemort. Again. Only this time, it seemed to be for good. His father was back home, still working for the ministry, after having been cleared of all charges. Again. 

Draco was still involved with Pansy. They would be married in December. She wanted the wedding to be in the Malfoy garden, with snow on the ground and warming charms to keep the guests comfortable. Why they couldn't just get married in the summer, Draco didn't know. Pansy had said that marrying right after school was impossible; it didn't give her enough time to prepare the wedding. Waiting another year was simply unacceptable in Draco's mind, not unless Pansy changed her mind about the 'we should be virgins on our wedding day' rule.

Draco shook his head as he walked through the corridors. It was Saturday and he wanted to find his fiance so that they could go to Hogsmeade. Potter would have used that ridiculous map of his, but Draco didn't need to. He had his own source.

"Good Morning, Baron, how are you, this morning?" he inquired politely.

"I'm fine, Mr. Malfoy. I hope you are as well." The Slytherin ghost liked the boy. He was as proud and intelligent as all the Malfoys, but there was something more in this one, something that the ghost could see, while no one else had seen until now. This boy was a freethinker, even if within the confines of his upbringing.

"I'm fine, Baron. I'm looking for Pansy. Have you seen her?"

The ghost frowned. He didn't like that girl. She was the worse Slytherin had to offer: sly, but with malice, cunning, but self-serving. The Malfoy boy didn't deserve to be deceived by the girl. Usually, the Baron didn't interfere with intrahouse relationships, but he would make an exception. "Try the music room on the second floor, next to Sir Lethifold. She was there just a few moments ago."

Draco smiled, a smile usually reserved for his Head of House. "Thank you very much, Baron."

The Slytherin quickly reached the room. He wanted to get out of Hogwarts as soon as possible. Draco didn't want to reach Hogsmeade with the annoying third years.

Draco opened the door of the music room. The two occupants didn't notice him, not that Draco expected them to. Not when Pansy and Blaise were so occupied screwing their brains out. 

Draco stepped outside. He rested his back against the cold stonewall. His legs wouldn't move as if an invisible force was keeping him there. He listened as his friend and his fiance reached their orgasms. He heard the sweet words they exchanged. He heard Blaise ask: "How are you going to explain to Draco that you're not a virgin?"

Pansy laughed. "I just need to charm some blood on the sheets. He'll never know."

Draco hated her with every fibre of his being. Not only she was cheating on him, but she was planning to deceive him as well. He was going to kill the bitch. Better yet, he was going to thoroughly humiliate her. But for now, he had more important things to do. He was going to get pissed.

Draco reached Hogsmeade and with a little bribery he used the floo system to reach the Leaky Cauldron. There was less chance of being seen by a professor in London and Draco knew from experience that Tom wouldn't mind serving a minor if said minor had enough galleons to spend. Draco had plenty of money to spend.

Draco spent his drinking day with expensive liquors. Bottles probably saved for people like his father and his friends. Draco was certain that his father could explain why such liquor was so expensive, but Draco really didn't care. He wanted to forget that bitch and that back-stubbing bastard he used to call friend.

During the day, the bottles were substituted by cheap homemade firewhiskey and some food that Tom had pushed his way. Draco wasn't sure he should really mix food and alcohol, but he was too pissed to care by then.

The Slytherin vaguely remembered meeting a man with eyes as clear as the summer sky, just before his world went pitch black.

~*~DM~*~SB~*~

Draco opened his eyes, only to shut them close again. The light pierced through his brain and straight to his stomach. "Merlin!"

"Morning." A bright voice greeted Draco.

Shit, Draco cursed inwardly. He didn't recognise the voice and it certainly didn't sound like a student. Still with his eyes closed, he tried to remember, but couldn't. He suddenly noticed the coarse material of the sheets against his skin. Definitely not a good sign!

"Drink this; it'll help." The voice sounded louder than it probably was. A hand behind Draco's head helped him sit up. The other pushed a phial to his lips and Draco drank it, violating his self-imposed distrust of people.

Those strong arms lowered him down. "Just give it a few minutes and you'll feel better."

"Whatever." This was the best Draco could muster. His sarcasm and sneer seemed to have deserted him.

Draco heard the man move about the room, but he refused to open his eyes, even when he felt the man stand close by. "Come on. I know I'm not a great potions maker, but your hang-over should be gone." 

Draco cautiously opened his eyes and groaned. "It's you." He closed his eyes for a few moments before finally opening them again. "Have you contacted the school?"

"And say what? I have one of your students naked in my bed. I doubt they'll appreciate it." Sirius chuckled at the affronted expression on Draco's face. The boy sat up, careful to cover his lap with the sheets.

"What happened? I can't..."

Sirius sat down. "I wouldn't expect you to remember after everything you drank. If you were a Muggle, you would probably be dead from alcohol poisoning."

That wasn't what Draco wanted to know. He needed to know if he was still a virgin. "Did we...Have we..." Sirius simply raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at the boy. "Oh, for Salazar's balls, did we have sex?" Draco finally blurted out.

"Well..." Sirius laughed at the terrified expression on Malfoy's face. "No, we didn't. You threw up all over yourself and I didn't think a cleaning charm was going to be enough."

"Thank God!" Draco rested back against the headboard. "What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty on Sunday. You'll have same explaining to do when you get back."

"Just kill me now. Snape shall torture me if anyone finds out that I'm missing."

Sirius went from amused to curious. "And what does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, I'm taking for granted that Snape knows I'm missing. I swear the man has an emphatic relationship with the castle. If no one finds out I'm missing, Snape won't say anything. And why am I even telling you this?" Draco shook his head.

"Maybe, being naked in my bed increases intimacy. And Snape was always like that, walking in the shadow, learning how the stairs moved." Sirius got up from the bed. "I'm going to get your clothes. Then, you should eat something before going back to school."

Sirius returned speedily. Draco got dressed, while Sirius rummaged in the kitchen. When the Slytherin entered the other room, he found himself in a kitchen/living room/dining room combination. "How quaint!" he sneered.

"I'm sure it's not as big as your house," Sirius said with a shrug. "By the way, you obviously know who I am."

Draco snorted. "Of course, Sirius Black, erroneously convict hero, auror extraordinaire and the Boy Who Lived's godfather."

"Yes, well, Sirius should suffice," Sirius continued, ignoring the disdainful tone. "And you look too much like Lucius not to be a Malfoy, but what is your name?"

"Haven't you heard from Potty?" Draco asked surprised.

"Oh, he has told me a lot about you, but it's usually 'Malfoy', or 'that arrogant prat', or my favourite, 'that annoying little git'."

Draco chuckled. Those were the same expressions he used for Potter so he wasn't really shocked. "My name is Draco."

"Much better than annoying little git," Sirius joked. "I made some soup, don't expect anything fancy."

"Thanks. I don't think I could eat much anyway." Draco sat and looked around the small house. "Is this how the ministry treats war heroes?"

Sirius shrugged. "I could get something bigger, but I'm not too keen on cleaning. Besides I don't need it."

Both men began eating silently. Draco looked furtively at Sirius, trying to understand why he was so comfortable sitting down with a Gryffindor, Potter's godfather, a man whom he should have despised.

Sirius ignored the looks and decided to break the silence. "What happened yesterday?"

"I had a bad day."

Sirius snorted. "Must have been more than a bad day to send you on a drinking binge in London."

"Caught my fiance shagging one of my close friends," Draco answered calmly, shocked that he could confide so easily in a total stranger.

"Didn't you think of talking to your friends instead of taking a trip to the Leaky Cauldron?" Sirius observed the young man sitting in front of him. Draco was Harry's age, but the Slytherin seemed older, which was saying something. In Sirius's opinion, Harry was already too mature for his age.

"I don't have any friends left. Vince, Greg, Blaise, Pansy and I grew up together, because our parents were...friends." It wouldn't do to mention that they were all Death Eaters. Lucius had taught Draco never to admit anything when you could lie. "Of course, I couldn't talk to Pansy, who's my fiance, nor Blaise, who's the boy she was screwing. Vince's dad was killed by an auror. Greg's dad is in Azkaban, waiting for the kiss. They don't talk to me since my father is free." Draco's voice was void of any emotion and Sirius wondered how strong the boy had to be to keep that kind of control. 

They finished eating in silence. Draco had said more than enough, and he was already cursing himself for opening up to Black. Using the floo network, Draco reached the Three Broomstick and went back to school. As he suspected, only Snape was aware of his absence. The professor pointed out that as Head Boy, Draco should be more careful, but that was the extent of their discussion.

The next Saturday, Draco walked into the common room. All eyes fell on him. He had trained his fellow Slytherin to pay attention when he was in a room. He stared at Pansy and smirked. "I hope that Blaise can keep up with your spending habits, because you're officially his problem. You get near me again and you will find out what a Malfoy can do."

Draco walked out without waiting for an explanation. As the previous week, he went to the Leaky Cauldron. He barely had time to order the first shot that Sirius appeared at his side.

"You're much better company when you're sober," Sirius said as he sat next to Draco. "Maybe, we can skip the throwing up part and we can go somewhere and talk."

Draco put the glass down and turned to face the other man. "My, my, one might think that you're coming on to me." Draco was shocked with himself. Did he really say that? 

Sirius didn't seem too shocked, though. Instead, he answered calmly. "One might be a total idiot. Look, you don't have many friends at the moment and my only friend is always too busy at Hogwarts. I just thought that we could be a little less miserable together."

Draco sneered. "When you put it that way, how could I refuse?"

Sirius ignored the sarcastic tone and grinned. "Let's go then. I'll show you London."

They spent the day together. Draco was amazed by Muggle London. He had seen his share of wizarding cities, but this was completely different. Of course, he lost no opportunity to criticise Muggles in general, but Sirius shrugged it off when he saw the awe-filled expression.

"I think it's time you get back. I can just picture Snape's face if he found out that you spent the day with me," Sirius said trying to stop laughing.

Draco chuckled. "I'd rather not deal with that."

"Will I see you next week?" Sirius asked.

Draco shook his head. "Gryffindor v. Slytherin, the yearly match when Potter gets to humiliate me in front of the entire school. Will you come and watch?" Draco didn't know why he even asked, but it would be nice to have a friend, even if he was well aware that this friend would be cheering for the other team. 

Sirius smiled. "You know that I want Gryffindor to win."

"It's not like I can get that bloody snitch before Potter."

"All right, then. I'll see you next week." They smiled at each other, before leaving London through the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron. 

~*~DM~*~SB~*~

Draco looked on as Sirius congratulated Harry after the match. Naturally, Potter had caught the snitch for Gryffindor, but Slytherin was so ahead in points that they still had a shot to the Quidditch Cup.

Draco ignored the people around him and went into the locker room. His teammates had left the field, barely refraining from insulting Draco, but he was used to it after 6 years. Let them beat Potter, if they could.

He showered and dressed quickly, anxious to leave his teammates behind and be alone for a while. Draco walked out of the locker room only to find Sirius leaning against the wall, one leg bent, foot resting against the wall.

"Slytherin played a good game," Sirius said as he push himself off the wall and began walking next to Draco.

"I didn't get the snitch." Draco smiled resigned. 

"I still don't understand what you and Harry get from the game as seeker. You just spend all your time looking. I loved being a chaser, flying fast and hard, avoiding the bludgers, tricking the beaters, outflying the other team's chasers, and faking a keeper." Sirius turned his head to look at Draco and frowned. "Do you enjoy playing?"

Draco laughed. "You're the first person that asks me. And no, I don't enjoy playing. I love to fly, but I'm expected to play, so I can beat Potter. Not that it's done any good."

Sirius stopped in the middle of the hallway. Draco kept walking until he realised that the other man was not at his side. He turned and raised his eyebrow.

"I swear that you, your father and Snape have that expression trademarked," Sirius remarked with a smile. "If you could find me a broom, we could fly a bit."

"Do you know what people will say if they see us flying together?" Draco was past caring, but he didn't want the only person that still spoke to him civilly to get upset.

Sirius shrugged. "People said that I was a killer for a long time. They can't say much worse."

"All right. Give me a few minutes and I'll get you a broom."

The two ended up flying most of the afternoon. Draco could see the students in the stands and knew that before supper the entire school would know about it, but couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. His life was full of rumours, what was one more?

It was getting late and as much as Sirius hated to leave, he knew that it was time. "I have to go, Draco."

The Slytherin nodded. "I should go inside, too." Draco hesitated, unsure of what to do, and he always knew what to do and say.

"I'll see you next week?" 

Draco was ecstatic at Sirius's word. "Yes, of course. I'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron again. I'll go now."

Sirius stood at the entrance of the Quidditch field until Draco went through the tunnel and disappeared from sight. 

"Does he know?" 

Sirius was startled by Harry's voice. "What are you talking about?"

Harry chuckled. "Nice try, Sirius, but it's me you're talking to. Does he know that you're gay?"

"No, there is no reason for him to know," Sirius replied calmly.

"Rubbish! I haven't seen that sparkle in your eyes since you broke up with that Irish wizard, last year. What was his name?"

"David. And it's not the same thing. Draco and I are just friends. I talked to him a few times. Nothing more." Sirius was wondering when he had started explaining his life to a teenager.

"Have you been sneaking in again, Sirius?" Harry was now amused. His hate for Malfoy had become more a habit than anything real.

"No, we've been meeting in London."

Harry laughed. "So, Mr. You've Been Breaking The Rules and Lose Points has been doing his own sneaking around." He put a hand on his godfather's arm. "Look, Malfoy is as straight as they come. I don't want you to get hurt."

Sirius shook his head. "I know he's straight and there is nothing between us nor will there be, but I enjoy being around him. Call me crazy, but I finally found a Slytherin I like."

Neither noticed the blond Slytherin that had returned to pick up the broom that Sirius had borrowed. Draco silently returned to his room, thinking about what he had just heard.

~*~DM~*~SB~*~

Draco never went to his appointment the next Saturday or the one after that. He was confused. He knew that he liked Sirius. They were friends. But he was _not_ gay. He couldn't be. His father wouldn't allow that.

On the other hand, Draco had been miserable for those two weeks. Sirius was the only person he felt comfortable with. It's not like they had deep philosophical discussions, but Draco just knew that he could tell Sirius anything and he wouldn't be judged. Draco came to the conclusion that being a teenager was bloody awful. Being a teenager without friends was a nightmare.

Draco kept going through the motions: classes, assignment, taking points from Gryffindor as it was his right as Head Boy. His mind stayed on Sirius and their relationship. Did they even have one? Did Sirius like him like that?

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that Draco never saw Sirius coming out of the DADA classroom until he practically ran over the Gryffindor.

"Hi," Sirius said softly. He was still wondering why Draco had disappeared and was hoping to find out.

"What are you doing here?" Draco shifted his weight from foot to foot. He hated to feel so insecure.

Sirius smiled. They were both acting like teenagers with crush, only that Draco didn't have a crush and he hadn't been a teenager for the past two decades. "I needed to speak with Remus. I was hoping to speak to you, too. You never showed up..."

"I know. I'm sorry. I thought it would be better not to push professor Snape." Good thing that the Malfoy training would still let him lie like a pro.

"Right. So, will I see you next Saturday?" If Snape saw him now, Sirius would never live it down, but at the moment, he wanted to speak with Draco.

"I don't...maybe we shouldn't...are you gay?" When exactly had he become honest and forthright? Draco was sure that all his ancestors were rolling in their graves.

"Yes, how did you know?" _Is this why you're avoiding me?_ Sirius wanted to ask, but he didn't find the courage to do it.

"I heard you and Potter talk when I came back to get the broom you were using." They stood still, staring at each other for a few moments. "Will you not say anything?"

"Obviously, this is bothering you, but there is little I can say. Yes, I'm gay. No, I'm not hitting on you. Yes, I enjoy your company. No, I won't stop being your friend because you're straight."

"Am I straight?" Draco shook his head. "I've been told that I would marry Pansy when I was five. I have never even looked at anyone else. I never had sex with anyone. At the moment, I'm just really confused and I need time. And if you tell anyone that I've been so open with you, I'll have to kill you," Draco finished with mock sobriety.

Sirius hid his smile with difficulty. "I understand. If you need to talk about anything, just come to my house. I'll key the floo system so you can get through. You just have to bribe Rosmerta to let you use the fireplace at the Three Broomsticks, but I know you probably have a long term agreement with her."

"I couldn't get to London without her." Draco smiled back and relaxed. "I will come and see you, but I need time."

Sirius nodded. "Take all the time you need."

~*~DM~*~SB~*~

Sirius walked out of his bedroom wearing a pair of jeans. His hair was dishevelled and he couldn't be bothered with complicated things like buttoning his trouser, finding his shirts or putting on shoes, not until he drank his morning coffee.

This morning, however, he found himself face to face with a blushing teenager. "What are you doing here?" Sirius said in a sleepy voice.

Draco's eyes couldn't make the trip from Sirius's chest to his face. On the contrary, they wanted to go lower where thick, black hair was visible under the unbuttoned jeans. With great will power, Draco finally raised his eyes and spoke. "You said I could come." 

Sirius chuckled at the innuendo. Draco became even redder when he realised what he had said. "I didn't mean..."

"That's all right. I know what you meant. What time is it?"

"Almost nine," Draco answered, fighting to keep his voice steady as Sirius stretched, showing his muscles and causing those trousers to slip even lower.

"Merlin, it's so early. How long have you been here?"

"Fifteen minutes, I'd say." 

Having finally brewed his coffee, Sirius sipped the warm liquid and watched the young man. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he finally asked.

"There's nothing wrong. Why would you think that?" Draco snapped back. It was annoying how clearly Sirius could read him. He was used to his walls that kept people away. 

"You're the one who showed up here at the crack of dawn. What else am I supposed to think?" Sirius remained calm.

Draco rolled his eyes. "It's not the crack of dawn." He turned around, taking his eyes off of Sirius for the first time that morning. He went to his cloak and picked up a parchment. "Read this," he ordered as he handed the paper to Sirius.

The animagus ignored the brusque tone and read the proffered parchment. "Is you father always so..."

"Manipulative, arrogant, assuming, haughty, condescending, presumptuous, conceited, insolent, uncaring, scheming, controlling. Just pick one," Draco said with a sigh.

"I was going to say cold, but all of those adjectives could be easily applied. What do you think about this letter?" Sirius wanted to go and kill Lucius Malfoy, but that wouldn't have helped Draco at the moment. The Gryffindor found difficult to understand that a father would be so willing to sacrifice his son's happiness for the family name.

"What do I think?" Draco dropped on the comfortable couch. "Let's see. He wants me to marry a girl I've never met, with whom I have never had a conversation, after breaking up with another girl he had picked. What in Slytherin's balls do you think? I don't want to marry that girl. Besides..." Draco bit his lip. Should he say it? There was no real harm done since soon school would be over and he would have to obey his father.

Sirius ran his thumb over Draco's lip. "What is it?" he asked softly

"I think that I might be interested in someone," Draco whispered.

"Have you told her?" Sirius didn't dare to hope, but those grey eyes held so many emotions.

"It's not a girl. It's a man." 

Sirius didn't miss the significance of the words. He leaned closer, keeping his eyes on Draco's, moving slowly giving the blond a chance to move away. But Draco didn't move. His eyes fluttered closed. Their lips touched softly.

Draco groaned as Sirius pulled away. "I'm getting married. God, my life is so screwed up."

Sirius put a hand on Draco's thigh. "What about the rest? Do you want to work for the ministry?"

Draco sneered. "No. I don't want to be known as Lucius's son at work. I have no interested in politics, anyway."

"What would you like to do?"

"Something my father wouldn't approve of. I love potions. I want to invent new serums. Of course, any success I had would only be known by other potions maker." Draco sighed. "It doesn't really matter. In a few weeks, school is over. I'll go home and do what my father wants."

"Why can't you do what you want?" Sirius asked. 

"Are you mad? Before I can get a job as a potions maker, I need to find someone willing to take me on as an apprentice. That means that I don't get paid for a few years. My father would cut me off. Eventually, he would backtrack. I am his only heir. But what do I do in the meantime? With the money in my vault, I can barely survive two months," Draco finished resigned.

"Would that be two months on a Malfoy budget or on a normal wizard's budget?" Sirius smiled.

"Even if I start behaving like a Weasley, I still need a house and all the expenses. The money could last four, five months." Draco shook his head. "It wouldn't last enough. My father won't change his mind so quickly."

"You could talk to Snape," Sirius suggested. "If he takes you on as an apprentice, you could stay at Hogwarts. That would ensure that your money lasts longer. Then, you see."

"That must be the brilliant planning that Gryffindors are so famous for." The usual malice was missing from Draco's voice.

"We might not plan like the Slytherins, but sometimes life doesn't give you the possibility to plan everything in your life. Unless you want to follow the plan your father set for you..."

~*~DM~*~SB~*~

October 2000

"Someone is knocking," Sirius said as he nuzzled Draco's crotch.

"I don't give a damn. Finish what you started." Frustration was clear in Draco's voice.

"I thought it was impolite to make people wait," Sirius teased.

"Bloody hell, Sirius!" Draco grabbed Sirius's head and pushed it toward his erection.

Sirius chuckled before swallowing Draco's cock. He had been teasing Draco the entire morning and it didn't take long for his lover to shoot his load down Sirius's throat, screaming his pleasure uncaring of the people outside.

Sirius crawled over Draco's body and kissed him. "Get dressed. I want to have breakfast after I get rid of whoever is still banging at our door."

Draco sighed contently, but made no move to get up. "Just stay here and bang me."

"Greedy brat," Sirius said affectionately. "Get up. I want to eat."

"Didn't you have enough protein for the day?" Draco joked, but began to get up.

Sirius opened the door and found Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy staring back at him. Both had a very annoyed expression on their face. They walked in without waiting to be invited and looked around.

"How quaint!" Lucius exclaimed.

Sirius snorted. "That's exactly what Draco said the first time he saw this place."

"That's because my son had manners and good taste before he met you," Narcissa remarked.

Draco walked out of their bedroom to find his lover and his parents sending glares at each other. "What are you doing here?" he blurted out.

"I see that you don't remember how to greet people properly. What else have you forgotten?" Narcissa reproached him.

"Excuse me, Mother, but we haven't spoken in over two years. The last time we did, you and Father threatened me with the Cruciatus if I didn't obey your wishes. You might see why I'm a little confused about the nature of your presence in our home." Draco stayed calm. A little too calm in Sirius's opinion.

"Draco, this is going on long enough. It's time you came home with us. We're not asking anything unusual for a Malfoy." Lucius moved close to his wife as he spoke. "We'll let you choose your job, but you will get married to the person we pick and you'll provide an heir."

"I don't think so, Father. For the past two year, I needed your money to survive, but you denied me your help. Instead, I had to rely on Severus and Sirius for everything, from my education to board and room." Draco felt Sirius move closer and leaned against his lover. "Now, I have a new job that pays me more than the ministry pays you. It's not as visible, but I don't care. I don't need the Malfoy money anymore, but I would like your and Mother's love. It's not indispensable, however. And your love will not give you the right to interfere with my life."

"What do you think of this, Sirius? You know how young Draco is." Narcissa stared at her son's lover.

"I know very well that one day Draco will wake up and realise that his lover, his first and only lover, is as old as his parents. That day, he will pack up and leave me. But until then, I will do my hardest to make him happy." Sirius tightened his hold on Draco.

"And what would that do to Draco? Do you know what people will say in our circle?" Narcissa asked.

"Stop it, Mother. I know our circle fully well and there are plenty of people ready to throw themselves at my feet because of our money and our last name. However, it makes no difference since I have no intention of leaving Sirius." Draco covered his lover's hand with his. 

"I spent seventeen years making sure you had the best and learned how to act in society. Now, you want to throw all away for him," Narcissa spat the words out.

"He doesn't have to," Sirius said. "I won't hold him back. He is free to come to your soirees and meetings. The only reason he hasn't, it's because you didn't want him there."

"You're right. That is our fault. My husband and I hoped that he would see reason and return home."

"Enough, Mother. You want me to return to the fold, then you'll have to accept Sirius at my side."

Narcissa was ready to argue the point when her husband's hand stopped her. "He is our son and he is just as stubborn as we are." Lucius looked at her and smiled. "I won't pretend to understand you, Draco. This is so unlike a Malfoy, but I hope you are happy."

 _"Love presses my head with carefully placed feet,_  
wretch that he is,  
until he has taught me to detest chaste girls,  
and to live with no counsel,"

Draco quoted.

"I knew it was a mistake to let you read those Muggle poets," Narcissa pronounced.

"No, Mother. They just showed me that it's all right to make my own decisions. I love you both, but I need to find my own place in our world."

Narcissa sighed. "Very well. I will expect you to dinner on Sundays." She stared at Black. "You, too, of course."

Draco hugged his parents before escorting them out. He then buried himself in Sirius's arms. "I have my parents back," he whispered.

"I'm happy for you, Draco."

Draco raised his eyes and stared into Sirius's blue irides. He had never seen so much uncertainty in Sirius's expression, not even at the beginning. "Sirius, I love you and I'm not going anywhere."

A kiss sealed the promise.


End file.
